The present invention relates to a device for automatically feeding a ribbon of connected sausage loop hangers to a clip attachment apparatus which attaches individual loop hangers to individual sausage casings.
Sausages and other meats are often filled in a casing material which is sealed or tied at opposite ends. Typically the casing ends are fastened by a metal clip. It is known to bind a loop of string or the like to the casing by means of the metal clip simultaneously with attachment of the clip to the casing. The loop of string is thereafter available to hang the sausage for processing or display.
Placement of a string or other sausage support member on the end of a sausage casing simultaneous with attachment of a metal clip has heretofore been accomplished generally by a manual process. The string or support member is typically manually positioned on the end of the casing prior to attachment of a clip.
Recently it has been suggested that a ribbon of sausage support loops may be used in combination with a clip attachment apparatus. This is disclosed by Donald Ernst in application Ser. No. 739,939, filed Nov. 8, 1976 which is incorporated herein by reference. To utilize such a continuous ribbon of connected sausage support loops may require manual positioning of individual loops. Since the loops, as disclosed by Ernst, are connected in the form of a continuous ribbon, the individual loops must be cut or separated from each other in order to be useful.
Ernst also suggested that positioning and separating the individual loops could be accomplished by mechanical means. The present invention constitutes such a mechanical device.